Opal TowersOpal Tower, from Christmas nightmare to Sydney's safest building

Aired on Thursday 25th June 2026, 6:00PM

The Sydneyist

It was Christmas eve 2018. Like everyone else in Sydney, residents of the newly built OPAL TOWER were baking and wrapping presents when loud cracking noises reverberated throughout and they were ordered to evacuate. The building was only four months old but suddenly it was deemed unsafe. Almost 400 families spent Christmas in emergency accommodation. Over the ensuing months Opal Tower became synonymous with NSW’s 'Faulty Towers' syndrome. Now, many say, it is the safest and most thoroughly (re)constructed building in Sydney. What went wrong and how did they make it right? It’s quite a tale. Our guest this week is SHADY ESKANDER then-resident and chair of the Opal Tower owners’ corporation, who guided the process through emergency, welfare, defects, legal and insurance nightmares. THE SYDNEYIST LISTEN UP, LISTEN IN! 6pm Thursday 25th June 2026 Eastside Radio 89.7FM or stream at eastsidefm.org #TheSydneyist #thesydneyistradioshow #theSydneyistpodcast #OpalTower #SydneyArchitecture #BuildingDefects #eastside897